Ingredients

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Preparation

Have ready a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and a metal bowl large enough to fit on top. Make sure that when saucepan is filled one third full with water, bottom of bowl is not touching water.

Chop chocolate into no larger than 1/4-inch dice and transfer three fourths to metal bowl. Fill saucepan one third full with water and bring water to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Set bowl with chocolate over pan (do not let bowl touch water) and melt chocolate, stirring, until a digital or chocolate thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 118°–120°F. for bittersweet chocolate or 116°–118°F. for milk chocolate. (If chocolate does not reach desired temperature, remove bowl, return water in pan to a boil, and repeat procedure).

Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl over pan and reheat melted chocolate, stirring until thermometer registers 88°–91°F. for bittersweet chocolate or 85°–87°F. for milk chocolate.

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Recent Reviews

I used this method to temper Callebaut dark chocolate. It wasn't cheap, so I didn't want to mess it up. I only tempered once before, but failed. I didn't have a thermometer and I was using lesser quality chocolate...so that may have been my problem.
Anyway, this method WORKED for me. Pay close attention to the temperatures...I let my second batch go a little high (91 when reheating) and it bloomed on me. I was sad....but I think I can retemper the failed batch using some original (tempered) bits as the "seed" chocolate. You know, I knew it right away when the chocolate didn't pop right out of my molds like the first batch. Oh well, I am still a beginner and this method gives me step-by-step directions to help me learn. Off to batch number 3....

nanciejeanne from Western PA /

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I decided to make chocolate dipped strawberries for two different parties last weekend. And I decided it was time for me to try to temper the chocolate I was using for the fruit. The short story is: 1) It's real nuisance; and 2) it wasn't necessary.

accentpro from Valley Stream, NY /

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After trying too many different ways
to temper chocolate, I finally
stumbled onto this method ... and
then checked Epicurious. Sheesh.
I found that a smaller pot for the
chocolate, moved in and out of the
larger one, works well ... and is
easier to handle than a hot bowl.
After the chocolate has melted and
you've seeded it and are waiting for
it to cool, it helps to reduce the
temperature in the larger pot to the
low 90's. That way, keeping the
chocolate in the smaller pot from
overheating is far easier as you
move it on and off the larger pot to
keep the temp between 88 and 91. Once you get above 91, you have to start all over.
Using two thermometers helps, as you want to keep an eye on the warm
water as well as the chocolate, and
don't want to get water into the
chocolate.

A Cook from Fishkill, NY /

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Please note: this method of tempering is called seeding. In order for it to work the chocolate you add when cooling to 80F must already be tempered. If you're working with bloomed chocolate in the first place this method might not work.